Chain



April 1947- M. A. opes 2,419,321

CHAIN Filed m. 2, 1946 IN ENTD/L MANUEL A. LOVES Hi5 flT/OF/YE).

Patented Apr. 22, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHAIN Manuel A. Lopes, Vallejo, Calif.

Application February 2, 1946, Serial No. 645,108

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improvements in a chain and more particularly of the endless conveyor type for transporting a continuous stream of objects upon a horizontal plane, in which the links 01 the chain are provided with abutting abutments arranged to prevent sagging of a chain when said links are aligned horizontally to provide a rigid upper portion of'a honzontally disposed conveyor.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved chain arranged to, permit relative movement of pivotally connected links in one direction only, whereby a rigid and non-sagging support, as for a horizontal endless conveyor, may be economically provided.

Another object is to provide a new and improved link arranged to form substantially a selfsupporting chain, in conjunction with similar Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of my I I moved from the chain; and

Fig. is an end elevation of the other end of a link.

Referring to the drawings:

The numerical I isused to designate in general a chain of channel-shaped links 2 pivotally connected as at 3 at points near the edges of flanges 4. Each link has the ends of the flanges 4 thereof bent at right angles and meeting to form abutting abutments 5 on both ends of each link 2, said abutments 5 being arranged to prevent sagging in a, horizontally disposed chain where the webs of the links 2 are uppermost, by permitting relative movement of said links in one direction only and that beyond a pitch line of pivotal centers of said links, as fully disclosed in Fig. 2 of the drawings, so that while said chain and links 2 thereof are free to substantially bend or fold around a sprocket 6 or the like, said links 2 are held in a horizontal supporting plane between sprockets by saidabutments.

so "that while the chain I may pass around a I To add further support horizontally, when required, the webs of the links 2 7 sprocket 6, as shown, the overlapping tabs will lie upon the back or web of an adjacent link and thereby further resist a sagging of the chain I between sprockets 6 or other supports, when said 5 links 2 are horizontally disposed with their backs or web portions uppermost.

By means of this novel arrangement, the horizontally aligned links form a rigidly horizontal support for a, constant succession of items, not shown, during transportation thereof, as when the top of a horizontal conveyor is formed of such a chain of links. 7

Having described my invention, I claim: 1

l. A chain comprising channel-shaped links and each link having the ends of the flanges of said channels bent to form abutments arranged to abut the abutments of adjacent links pivotally connected thereto.

2. A chain comprising channel-shaped links pivotally cdnnected near the edges of the flanges thereof and each link, having the ends of said flanges bent to form abutments arranged to abut the abutments of adjacent links pivotally connected thereto, said webs of each of said channelshaped links being projected at one end to form tabs arranged to overlap and engage the web. of an adjacent link.

3. A link comprising a channel-shaped body having pivotal points adjacent the edges and 7 'ends of the flanges of said channel, and having the ends of said flanges bent at right angles and meetingto form abutments on both ends of said link.

4. A link comprising a channel-shaped body having pivotal points adjacent the edges ind ends of the flanges of saidv channel, and having the ends of said flanges bent, at right angles and meeting to form abutments on both ends of said 40 link, and having oneend of the web of said channel extended beyond an abutment on that end and arranged to overlap the web of a similar link pivotally connected thereto.

A. LOPES.

REFERENCES crrnn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date r 892,740 Koob July '1, 1908-- 1,354,553 Harter Oct. 5, 1920 1,451,613 Hodgkiss Apr. 10, 1923 1,826,351 Hoefen Oct. 6, 1.931

pivotally connected near-the open sides thereof 

